Scoop

Ben & Jen: No Hard Feelings
They chat. They correspond. And after one of the world's most publicized splits, Affleck and Lopez discover they can still be friends in a low-key kind of way

It was the breakup heard 'round the world, but that doesn't mean the couple formerly known as Bennifer had an explosive parting. In fact, they're still pals. "I'm on really good terms with Jen," says Ben Affleck. "We still talk." And write. Jennifer Lopez sent her former fiancé a note before he flew to New York City to promote Jersey Girl, their last film together, opening March 26. ("I do not envy you having to do this junket," Lopez wrote.) Still, doesn't it make Ben squirm a little to see himself and his ex onscreen? "It's actually fun to look at," says Affleck. "I'm really proud of this movie. I'm glad that we were able to do this so the last memory of us working together is something that's really positive." Affleck has been through this before, of course. "I broke up with Gwyneth shortly before Bounce came out. It looks like bad luck, right?" he says. "You think I'd learn my lesson." At least he's trying. For now, he says, "I'm not all that eager to be dating anyone. Frankly, it's just because I'm so gun-shy of being in the papers anymore."

So how is single life treating him? "It's fine. I'm in a pretty good place in my life," Affleck says. He's a little afraid of fatherhood—"It's scary.... I think it would seem like a time when you look most closely at your own faults." Marriage is another story. "To me any relationship that you're committed in is the same thing. That's mostly a ceremony."

NEW LOOK
After a breakup, lots of women change their hair: new life, new do. Now Ben, after sporting a goatee, has shaved and cut his hair, adopting a fresh look just in time for the Jersey Girl premiere (far right) in New York City March 9.

Catwalk Catfight
Nothing gets a supermodel's fur up like a swipe from a fellow mannequin. Tyra Banks, 30, was recently quoted in Newsweek saying, "She did so many hateful things, like getting me thrown off shows because she was more famous." Who was she talking about? Her archrival, Naomi Campbell, said the magazine. Campbell, 33, didn't take the bait. "It is truly unfortunate, if [Banks] really feels that way," she told Scoop. "Hate is such a strong word. We are in a tough and competitive business, especially for women of color. I am proud of my career accomplishments. I wish Tyra all the luck in the world."

Now Banks says that she never actually uttered Campbell's name during the Newsweek interview—even though the two have maintained a rift for 12 years. Says Banks's rep: "Any specific names, as referred to by any media outlet, are pure speculation on their part."

Sex and the Single Mom
There had not been a steady man in her life for about two years, Angelina Jolie said recently, so she decided to do something about it. The actress told the New York Post that she engages in "adult relationships" with "men who were already very close friends of mine," lasting a few hours and promising no commitment. "I can feel like a woman," said Jolie, 28, "but it's not a relationship that interferes with my family." She stresses it's not casual. "I've never had a one-night stand in my life—these are people I know very well."

LONG KISS GOODBYE
After Halle Berry kissed her boss, Catwoman director and singular-named Pitof, March 5 in L.A, the two insisted they were simply saying farewell after a six-month shoot. With a lip-lock like that, Pitof must surely be hoping there's a Catwoman 2 in his future.

Roy's Road to Recovery
Five months after he was mauled by a tiger, Roy Horn is making significant progress, according to his manager. "I recently had dinner with Roy, and he had steak and a glass of wine," says Bernie Yuman. He adds that Horn, 59, now speaks normally, but he would not confirm or deny a report from Horn's German press rep that the entertainer is walking again. Horn hopes to make a public appearance before year's end. "It's a miracle Roy survived," says Yuman. "Now he's moving forward."

Diapers, Anyone?
Tennis greats Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf have made it love, set, match. In this exclusive family photo, they show off 5-month-old daughter Jaz, who joins son Jaden, 2. "Steffi [34] and I used to do everything together, whether it was feeding Jaden or putting him down for a nap," says Agassi, 33. "But now with two, it's tough and busy." Not that they don't have help. "Jaden loves taking care of Jaz," says Dad. "He shares his blanket with her." Even at his tender age, Jaden is making a name for himself on the tennis court—at least as far as Agassi is concerned. "I always promised myself I wouldn't be a typical parent and talk about how great my kids are, but it's so hard with the way Jaden handles his racket; he loves it," says Agassi. "A few months ago we watched him hit a ball from the baseline and over a net for the first time. It brought us to our knees."

POP QUIZ

Kiefer Sutherland

Like so many across the country—Hollywood included—Kiefer Sutherland is nuts about NASCAR. Sutherland, 37, the star of FOX's 24, narrates NASCAR 3D, an IMAX film exploring the world of auto racing.

Ever gotten a speeding ticket?

Yes.

What's the fastest you've driven?

The fastest I have driven was 120 mph in Germany on the autobahn. I'm actually a pretty safe driver.

What about NASCAR makes it an interesting movie?

NASCAR has a history that's so Americana. These drivers came out of running moonshine from county to county, then they got bored with that so they started to race each other. The fact that they took this grassroots organization, a bunch of local guys racing, and in just 50 years turned it into the spectacle it is now is an incredible American success story.

How's the 3D format?

You really do feel like you're in the car. There are a couple of instances in the film that will amaze, and one that will scare the life out of you. It involves a tire. That's all I'll say.

Who's your favorite driver?

Jeff Gordon was the first driver I saw. He had a season that...it seemed like if he hit the track, he couldn't lose. I don't know of any other racecar driver who had a single season that was so dominant. And of course Dale Earnhardt and Junior and Jimmie Johnson. It's just amazing what they can do with a car.

What makes the drivers special?

You realize they're taking their lives in their hands when they get behind that wheel. The stakes are incredibly high.

Would you make a good NASCAR driver?

No. I haven't driven a racecar. I would love it, but I wouldn't do it at the speed they do. I'm pretty happy with the career I've chosen. Right now I'm only planning on going to see more races.

Norah Jones: Bollywood Calls

You might think nothing could ruffle the feathers of serene songbird Norah Jones. Her new album, Feels Like Home, sold more than a million copies its first week and remained No. 1 after three weeks. But Jones, 24, is not happy about a proposed movie project that hits too close to home. Dev Anand, a legend in India's Bollywood film community, wants to film Song of Life, which echoes Jones's sometimes strained relationship with her father, sitar virtuoso Ravi Shankar. When Anand first raised the idea last fall, Jones told Britain's Daily Telegraph it was "nobody's business but ours." (Her parents never married, and she was raised in Texas.) Now, Anand says, "The characters in my film are not Ravi Shankar and Norah Jones...though it was inspired by her Grammy and her having a famous father." Will Jones's attitude change? Her rep had no comment.